In Telangana, I told people that it was TDP which developed the region and they should elect us for further development.

The TDP supremo says only Narendra Modi can offer inclusive growth and that even Muslims want a stable government under the BJP leader. In an interaction with ET during election campaigning in North Coastal Andhra, Naidu says his alliance with the BJP will be a deadly combination. Edited excerpts:

Immediately after campaigning ended in Telangana, you are being perceived as suddenly shifting the gear in Seemandhra with speeches provoking the people there on the name of self pride.

There is no major difference between my electoral speeches in Telangana and Seemandhra. In both regions I was trying to expose the Congress, YSR Congress and TRS (Telangana Rashtra Samithi) for the way in which they colluded to divide the state for their nasty political objectives without bothering to ensure equal justice to the people of the two regions.

People of Seemandhra are highly angry with all those entities that insulted them with the unjustified way of state division without bothering to protect their interests. In Telangana, I told people that it was TDP which developed the region and they should elect us for further development.

In Seemandhra, I was trying to provide solace to the people by promising to uplift the region with an all-round development. I was appealing to Seemandhra people to take vengeance against those who badly insulted their self pride and harmed the unity of Telugu-speaking people.

What do you have to say on the perception that the TDP-BJP alliance is unlikely to result in any major electoral gains as the pact did not go down well with the cadres?

There will be minor issues in any pre-poll alliance between two or more parties initially. It takes time to convince the cadres and leaders with aspirations at the grassroots level and make them work in coordination with the allies.

Now there are no more issues and both TDP and BJP forces are working in tandem. We are confident that the electorate has understood that the Modi-Babu alliance is a deadly combination with common wavelength for ensuring development at both national and regional levels.

In hindsight, do you think that you could have done a better job in convincing the BJP from supporting the Andhra Pradesh bifurcation bill?

TDP has succeeded in making most of the national parties realise that the Congress had complicated a highly sensitive issue of state bifurcation for its evil political interests. We succeeded in making the parties realise that there were constitutional violations and breach of conventions, badly affecting the self pride of a large section of Telugu-speaking people. Of course, we had more expectations from the BJP on the issue but we think they did their best given their limitations and compulsions as a political party. They did insist on amicable bifurcation on the lines of statehoods during the NDA regime.

Narendra Modi, who vehemently opposed the way the AP bifurcation was being handled by the Congress, is highly sympathetic to the interests of Seemandhra people and promised to ensure development of the region with a world-class capital city, large-scale industrialisation with investment incentives, infrastructure and employment.

Did you get any assurance on protecting the interests of Muslims from Modi before you forged alliance?

Parties like the Congress keep maligning Modi for their political and polarisation objectives despite Modi repeatedly expressing his pain and agony over the Gujarat communal incidents and tribunals acquitting him. The Congress always tried to use the Gujarat incidents to cover up its highly corrupt and inefficient governance.

I am convinced that only Narendra Modi, who promised inclusive development and wealth creation without discrimination, is the right choice for the country today. Muslims of the country also want a stable government. One should also realise the assurances that Narendra Modi has repeatedly made for communal harmony. The latest example is of Narendra Modi seriously condemning the religious fundamentalist hate speeches of some Hindutva leaders like (Vishva Hindu Parishad's Pravin) Togadia.

TDP is a secular party and known for protecting the interests of minorities and taking up large-scale programmes for the welfare and empowerment of minorities. We will continue to stick to these values irrespective of our alliances and I am sure minorities have confidence in me. People of the country are vexed with the corruption and inefficiency of the Congress-led UPA government for a decade where everybody was affected irrespective of religious affiliations.

People from all the regions were uniformly affected by the development and policy paralysis, high inflation and prices, unemployment and lack of amenities. It was a double whammy for the people of Seemandhra. In this context, ending the Congress led UPA's regime and electing a strong leadership was the necessity and hence a historical necessity of NDA to come into power at the Centre. I was instrumental in experiments at the centre like the third front and national front, both of which failed thanks to Congress' dirty political games. I am fully convinced that this time the third front cannot provide a stable government and it is not a viable alternative in the present circumstances in the country and in national interests.

You had fought against the Congress for decades and you have now accommodated Congress leaders into your party in large numbers...

We have accommodated a few efficient and non-corrupt Congress leaders only in the regions where TDP is not very strong, that too keeping in view the overall interests of the Seemandhra region. If I don't accommodate such select efficient and non-corrupt Congress leaders, they may be forced to join other parties for their political career, which we didn't want.

Despite being known as the architect of state-level economic reforms during your term, you seem to have compromised this time for populist poll gimmicks.

We did enough homework on the electoral promises by taking inputs from economists and experts and we are confident of fulfilling all those promises in phases. Of course, all of them cannot be fulfilled in one go. The Congress government policies were responsible for the current plight of farmers and the resultant heavy debts.

It is the responsibility of the government to make agriculture a profitable occupation and bail out farmers from their debts. We can provide guarantee to the lenders and ask them to reschedule farm loans for five years so that they can also address the issue of NPAs in their books. We are committed to reviving the agriculture sector in the state.

TRS is looking at challenging the governor's control on law and order in Hyderabad. Is this the reason why you are reportedly talking to Modi to make Hyderabad a union territory?

We are not in favor of the governor encroaching into the powers of state government and we opposed the Congress that violated the Constitutional provisions in doing so. We think the Congress was aware that somebody will challenge the constitutional validity of powers to the governor on law and order in Hyderabad. The Congress colluded with TRS on this giving scope to challenge its validity in the courts.

We will fight to protect the interests of Seemandhra people living in Hyderabad. Modi also assured to work out suitable measures to protect the interests of Seemandhra people living in Hyderabad. We will insist on the new government at the centre to review the state bifurcation bill since neither people of Telangana or Seemandhra are satisfied with it.

What is your feedback on the poll prospects in Telangana?

I think Telangana may end up in having a hung assembly.

Whom will you support in Telangana?

We will see based on the prevailing situation.

How do you propose development of Seemandhra if the NDA does not come to power at the Centre?

There is no question of the NDA not coming to power. Nobody can stop it.

If you win in Seemandhra, how will you run the government from Hyderabad?

I have decided not to take oath as the chief minister of Seemandhra at Hyderabad (common capital and headquarters for both states for 10 years). I would prefer the swearing in ceremony in some city of Seemandhra. KCR (K Chandrasekhar Rao of TRS) is trying to take advantage by instigating Telangana people against Seemandhra people, especially the Seemandhra employees working in Hyderabad.

Seemandhra employees will find it difficult to work out of Hyderabad for 10 years. We will try and shift them to the new capital city of Seemandhra at the earliest, if possible within six months, by building speedy and temporary infrastructure in the new capital city of Seemandhra.

How you plan to handle the economic situation if you win in Seemandhra?

When I took over as chief minister of AP first time in 1995, the state economy was in deep doldrums where the government was unable to pay even salaries, forget about meeting the administrative and developmental expenses. I have a proven track record of reviving the state economy and turning it into the most dynamic economies in the country. I am confident of turning the current crisis in Seemandhra into a great opportunity of building a new capital. I am confident of attaining a dynamic and vibrant economy for Seemandhra within four-five years.

Will you look at supporting a third front in the interests of AP's development in case NDA fails to get enough seats?